Iran nuclear deal: The special relationship between John Kerry and Mohammad Javad Zarif

The US secretary of state and Iranian foreign minister met bilaterally at
least 23 times and are on first name terms but they maintained a business
relationship during negotiations

European Union High Representative Federica Mogherini, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, Head of the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization Ali Akbar Salehi, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond and US Secretary of State John Kerry pose for a group picture at the United Nations building in ViennaPhoto: Joe Klammar/AFP

By AFP

6:00AM BST 15 Jul 2015

At first glance, a loyal supporter of Iran's Islamic revolution and a Democratic ex-senator have little in common. Yet against the odds, John Kerry and Mohammad Javad Zarif have blazed their way into history.

The tall, lanky American secretary of state, in his expensive tailored suits towers over his shorter, stouter Iranian counterpart, Mr Zarif, in his traditional collarless shirts when they gather for choreographed pictures.

But over months of risky, roller-coaster negotiations to strike an unprecedented nuclear non-proliferation agreement, they have both proved to be steely and at times wily rivals. Even Mr Kerry's broken leg has failed to slow him down.

They are on first name terms, calling each other John and Javad.

And while occasionally they share a joke, the relationship remains businesslike, though tinged with obvious respect.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry delivers a statement on the Iran talks deal at the Vienna International Centre

Speaking after Tuesday's announcement of the deal, Mr Kerry described his Iranian counterpart as "a tough capable negotiator, patriot, a man who fought every inch of the way for things he believes".

"We were both able to approach these negotiations with mutual respect, even when there were times of heated discussion. And – he would agree with me – at the end of every meeting we laughed and we smiled and we had the conviction that we would come back and continue to process," Mr Kerry said.

Already there has been talk of a possible Nobel peace prize nomination. Tuesday's accord to curb Iran's nuclear programme will only increase such speculation.

Mr Zarif, 55, was appointed foreign minister by Hassan Rouhani, the Iranian president, in September 2013, and was quickly tasked with resuming the nuclear talks with a clear mandate to end the crippling sanctions against his country.

A fluent English speaker with a PhD in international law from the University of Denver, he is a veteran loyalist of the Islamic revolution that toppled the shah in 1979.

At the start of the talks it was Mr Zarif who had the distinctive advantage, having already spent 20 years as a diplomat at the United Nations, where he was also Iran's ambassador from 2002-2007.

American officials on the other hand had had little contact with Iranian counterparts since ties were snapped, although as a senator Mr Kerry, 71, was part of secret US talks in Oman in 2012 to explore the possibility of reopening talks.

Describing Mr Zarif as "brilliant", Iran expert Suzanne Maloney said "he has the ability to sell policies that are fundamentally problematic from the American point of view, in a way that comes off as completely persuasive and appealing."

"It's a misunderstanding to believe that he is somehow more American than he is Iranian," the Brookings Institution expert cautioned.

"He's very much a creature of the Islamic republic, and it's not accidental that he's managed to gain a very high-level position at a crucial time."

It has even greater resonance for the former Massachusetts senator and failed 2004 US presidential candidate after his quixotic bid to strike a long-elusive Middle East peace deal spectacularly collapsed last year.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif

Mr Zarif and Mr Kerry first met at the start of the talks at the United Nations in September 2013, when the Iranian diplomat surprised everyone with the huge smile which never seemed to leave his face.

In the months since, he has gained a reputation for being charming and articulate.

Yet, officials say in the negotiating room he has at times grown emotional and even angry, when pushed too hard on something he felt he could not deliver.

Zarif is also one of only a few Iranian officials to have a Twitter account, which remains banned in Iran. He has used that and YouTube effectively to push his message to the US.

His profile includes a compelling quote from the 13th century Persian poet, Saadi, which reads in part: "All human beings are members of one frame; Since all, at first, from the same essence came."